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This article summarizes the events, album releases, and album release dates in rhythm and blues for the year 2021.

Events

January

• On January 8, Jay W. McGee died at the age of 70. On the same day, Michael Fonfara died at the age of 74.
• On January 9, the 35th Golden Disc Awards were held. BTS won Disc Daesang (Album of the Year) for Map of the Soul: 7.
• On January 16, Phil Spector died at the age of 81. On the same day, Little Walter DeVenne died at the age of 73.
• On January 18, Jimmie Rodgers died at the age of 87.
• On January 29, Grady Gaines died at the age of 86.

February

• On February 4, Jessie Smith died at the age of 79. On the same day, Nolan Porter died at the age of 71, and Gil Saunders died.
• On February 8, Mary Wilson died at the age of 76.
• On February 14, Ari Gold died at the age of 47.
• On February 17, Gene Summers died at the age of 82.

March

• On March 2, Chris Barber died at the age of 90.
• On March 3, DJ Advicer died.
• On March 14, the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards were held. H.E.R. won Song of the Year for "I Can't Breathe". Kaytranada won Best Dance/Electronic Album for Bubba. Kaytranada and Kali Uchis won Best Dance Recording for "10%". Beyoncé won Best R&B Performance for "Black Parade". Ledisi won Best Traditional R&B Performance for "Anything for You". Robert Glasper, H.E.R., and Meshell Ndegeocello won Best R&B Song for "Better Than I Imagined". Thundercat won Best Progressive R&B Album for It Is What It Is. John Legend won Best R&B Album for Bigger Love. Anderson .Paak won Best Melodic Rap Performance for "Lockdown".
• On March 15, Doug Parkinson died at the age of 74.
• On March 17, Gerhard Augustin died at the age of 79.
• On March 19, Margie Evans died at the age of 81.
• On March 27, the 52nd NAACP Image Awards were held. Jhené Aiko won Outstanding Album for Chilombo. Doja Cat won Outstanding New Artist. Beyoncé won Outstanding Female Artist. Drake won Outstanding Male Artist. Chloe x Halle won Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration (Traditional) for "Wonder What She Thinks of Me" and Outstanding Soul/R&B Song for "Do It". Beyoncé, Wizkid, Saint Jhn, and Blue Ivy Carter won Outstanding Music Video/Visual Album for "Brown Skin Girl".
• On March 29, Trisha Cee was killed at the age of 26.

April

• On April 1, Quindon Tarver was killed at the age of 38.
• On April 10, Bob Porter died at the age of 80. On the same day, Quinton Claunch died at the age of 99.
• On April 28, the APRA Music Awards of 2021 were held. The Kid Laroi won Breakthrough Songwriter of the Year. Busby Marou won Most Performed Blues & Roots Work for "Over Drinking Over You". The Teskey Brothers won Most Performed R&B / Soul Work for "Rain".
• On April 30, John Dee Holeman died at the age of 92.

May

• On May 7, Cassiano died at the age of 77.
• On May 11, the Brit Awards 2021 were held. Arlo Parks won Breakthrough Artist. The Weeknd won International Male Solo Artist. Little Mix won British Group.
• On May 20, Roger Hawkins died at the age of 75.
• On May 23, the 2021 Billboard Music Awards were held. The Weeknd won Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Male Artist, Top R&B Album for After Hours, and Top Hot 100 Song, Top R&B Song, and Top Radio Song for "Blinding Lights". BTS won Top Duo/Group, Top Song Sales Artist, Top Social Artist, and Top Selling Song for "Dynamite". Saint Jhn won Top Dance/Electronic Song for "Roses". Doja Cat won Top R&B Female Artist.
• On May 26, Red Top Young died at the age of 85.
• On May 27, the 2021 iHeartRadio Music Awards were held. The Weeknd won Male Artist of the Year and Song of the Year for "Blinding Lights". Jhené Aiko won R&B Album of the Year for Chilombo. Doja Cat won Best New Pop Artist. H.E.R. won R&B Artist of the Year. Snoh Aalegra won Best New R&B Artist. Chris Brown & Young Thug won R&B Song of the Year for "Go Crazy".
• On May 31, Lloyd Price died at the age of 88.

June

• On June 6, the Juno Awards of 2021 were held. The Weeknd won Artist of the Year, Songwriter of the Year, Single of the Year for "Blinding Lights", and Album of the Year and Contemporary R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for After Hours. Kaytranada won Dance Recording of the Year for Bubba. Savannah Ré won Traditional R&B/Soul Recording of the Year for "Solid".
• On June 8, Dean Parrish died at the age of 78.
• On June 17, the 2021 Libera Awards were held. Thundercat won Best R&B Record for It Is What It Is. Fantastic Negrito won Best Blues Record for Have You Lost Your Mind Yet?. Arlo Parks won Breakthrough Artist/Release. Mavis Staples won the Icon Award.
• On June 20, Ike Stubblefield died at the age of 69.
• On June 25, Lou Courtney died.
• On June 27, the BET Awards 2021 were held. Jazmine Sullivan won Album of the Year for Heaux Tales. H.E.R. won Best Female R&B/Pop Artist. Chris Brown won Best Male R&B/Pop Artist. Giveon won Best New Artist. Silk Sonic won Best Group. SZA won the BET Her Award for "Good Days".

July

• On July 1, Anthony Reynard Watson died at the age of 64. On the same day, Steve Kekana died at the age of 63.
• On July 5, Raffaella Carrà died at the age of 78.
• On July 7, Sam Reed died at the age of 85.
• On July 11, Sound Sultan died at the age of 44.
• On July 13, Bob Sargeant died.
• On July 18, Winston Soso died at the age of 69.
• On July 21, Clarence McDonald died at the age of 76.

August

• On August 7, Dennis "Dee Tee" Thomas died at the age of 70.
• On August 8, Bruce Conte died.
• On August 9, Chucky Thompson died at the age of 53. On the same day, Siti Sarah died at the age of 36.
• On August 11, Mike Finnigan died at the age of 76.
• On August 16, Clifford Coulter died.
• On August 21, Don Everly died at the age of 84.
• On August 27, Sam Salter died at the age of 46.

September

• On September 1, Waldo Holmes died.
• On September 2, Baron Browne died at the age of 61.
• On September 8, Robin Russell died at the age of 69.
• On September 12, Melvin Dunlap died. On the same day, the 2021 MTV Video Music Awards were held. Doja Cat and SZA won Best Collaboration for "Kiss Me More". Silk Sonic won Best R&B and Best Editing for "Leave the Door Open".
• On September 20, Sarah Dash died at the age of 76.
• On September 23, Pee Wee Ellis died at the age of 80.
• On September 27, Andrea Martin died at the age of 49.
• On September 28, Dr. Lonnie Smith died at the age of 79.
• On September 29, Julia Nixon died at the age of 66.

October

• On October 11, Deon Estus died at the age of 65. On the same day, Emani 22 died at the age of 22.
• On October 25, Herbie Herbert died at the age of 73.

November

• On November 4, the 2021 UK Music Video Awards were held. Celeste won Best R&B/Soul Video - UK for "Tonight, Tonight". Normani and Cardi B won Best R&B/Soul Video - International for "Wild Side". Bamao Yendé and Le Diouck and won Best R&B/Soul Video - Newcomer for "Marvin Gaye". Joy Crookes won Best Wardrobe Styling in a Video and Best Hair & Make-up in a Video for "Feet Don't Fail Me Now".
• On November 11, Graeme Edge died at the age of 80.
• On November 13, Philip Margo died at the age of 79.
• On November 17, the 12th Hollywood Music in Media Awards were held. H.E.R. won Best Original Song — TV Show/Limited Series for "Change" from We Are People.
• On November 18, Slide Hampton died at the age of 89. On the same day, the J Awards of 2021 were held. Genesis Owusu won Australian Album of the Year for Smiling with No Teeth.
• On November 21, the American Music Awards of 2021 were held. BTS won Artist of the Year. Doja Cat and SZA won Collaboration of the Year for "Kiss Me More". Doja Cat won Favorite Female Artist – R&B and Favorite Album – R&B for Planet Her. The Weeknd won Favorite Male Artist – R&B. Silk Sonic won Favorite Song – R&B for "Leave the Door Open". Kali Uchis won Favorite Song – Latin for "Telepatía".
• On November 24, the 2021 ARIA Music Awards were held. Genesis Owusu won Album of the Year, Best Independent Release, Best Cover Art, and Best Hip Hop Release for Smiling with No Teeth. Budjerah won Breakthrough Artist. Archie Roach won Best Blues & Roots Album for The Songs of Charcoal Lane. Tkay Maidza won Best Soul/R&B Release for Last Year Was Weird (Vol. 3).
• On November 28, the 2021 Soul Train Music Awards were held. Yung Bleu won Best New Artist. Charlie Wilson won the Soul Train Certified Award. Jazmine Sullivan won Best R&B/Soul Female Artist and Album of the Year for Heaux Tales. Giveon won Best R&B/Soul Male Artist. Silk Sonic won Song of the Year, Video of the Year, and The Ashford & Simpson Songwriter's Award for "Leave the Door Open". Normani and Cardi B won Best Dance Performance for "Wild Side". Wizkid and Tems won Best Collaboration for "Essence".
• On November 30, Kal Rudman died at the age of 91.

December

• On December 3, Melvin Parker died at the age of 77.
• On December 9, David Lasley died at the age of 74. On the same day, the 2021 Music Victoria Awards were held. Hiatus Kaiyote won Best Victorian Song for "Red Room".
• On December 12, the 8th African Muzik Magazine Awards were held. Wizkid won Artist of The Year, the Crossing Boundaries With Music Award, and Song of The Year for "Essence (Remix)" with Tems and Justin Bieber.
• On December 13, Joe Simon died at the age of 85.
• On December 14, Phil Chen died at the age of 80.
• On December 15, Wanda Young died at the age of 78.

Released albums

January

February

March

April

May

June

July

August

September

October

November

December

Highest-charting songs

United States

United Kingdom

Highest first-week consumption

All critically reviewed albums ranked

Metacritic

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164. Pink Noise by Laura Mvula, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
165. Nine by Sault, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
166. What We Call Life by Jordan Rakei, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
167. Deacon by serpentwithfeet, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
168. to hell with it [Mixtape] by PinkPantheress, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
169. Play with the Changes by Rochelle Jordan, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
170. And Then Life Was Beautiful by nao, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
171. Still Over It by Summer Walker, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
172. Mood Valiant by Hiatus Kaiyote, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
173. If Words Were Flowers by Curtis Harding, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
174. 333 by Tinashe, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
175. Are U Down? by Spencer., Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
176. An Evening with Silk Sonic by Silk Sonic, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
177. Obviously by Lake Street Dive, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
178. Get on Board the Soul Train: The Sound of Philadelphia International Records, Vol. 1 [Box Set] by Various Artists, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
179. Gold-Diggers Sound by Leon Bridges, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
180. Not Your Muse by Celeste, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
181. Heaux Tales by Jazmine Sullivan, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
182. Introducing... by Aaron Frazer, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
183. In Praise of Shadows by Puma Blue, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
184. Second Line by Dawn Richard, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
185. Private Space by Durand Jones & the Indications, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
186. Promenade Blue by Nick Waterhouse, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
187. In the Meantime by Alessia Cara, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
188. Shout Out! To Freedom... by Nightmares on Wax, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
189. The Future by Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
190. ALPHA by Charlotte Day Wilson, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
191. Sensational by Erika de Casier, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
192. Mercy by Natalie Bergman, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
193. Temporary High in the Violet Skies by Snoh Aalegra, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
194. Jam & Lewis, Volume One by Jam & Lewis, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
195. Welcome 2 America by Prince, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
196. There Is No End by Tony Allen, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
197. Back Of My Mind by H.E.R., Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
198. Faster by Samantha Fish, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
199. Terra Firma by Tash Sultana, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
200. Bring Backs by Alfa Mist, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
201. Be Right Back [EP] by Jorja Smith, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
202. VWETO III by Georgia Anne Muldrow, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
203. Freedom Fables by Nubiyan Twist, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
204. Fire It Up by Steve Cropper, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
205. KEYS by Alicia Keys, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
206. The American Negro by Adrian Younge, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
207. Thank You by Diana Ross, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024
208. Scenic Drive (The Tape) by Khalid, Metacritic, retrieved June 26, 2024

• 2021 in music
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• Rhythm and blues